Use of the fungus Pleurotus ostreatus in triticum straw and Zea mays crown substrates to bioremediate soils contaminated with cadmium

Abstract

Abstract– Soil constitutes a finite and irrecoverable natural resource, being crucial as a foundation for agricultural practice; Improper handling could cause adverse consequences. The extraction of minerals such as zinc (Zn), lead (Pb) and copper (Cu), the prolonged application of phosphate fertilizers, and the production of batteries and PVC generate considerable emissions of cadmium (Cd). For this reason, the objective of our research is to determine the effectiveness of the Pleurotus ostreatus fungus in the bioremediation of soils contaminated with cadmium. The research methodology used is quantitative using a experimental design of soil management with two substrates: Triticum straw and Zea mays crown. Experimental observation and inferential analysis techniques are mentioned, as well as the use of SPSS software to process the data. This research has certain limitations, including the possibility of the substrate being contaminated with environmental fungi that could affect the development of the Pleurotus ostreatus fungus. Furthermore, in relation to the results, a removal of 15.60% was observed in treatment B (Zea mays crown), while treatment A (Triticum straw) showed a removal of 14.98%. The importance of the substrates used for the optimal growth of the fungus is highlighted. On the other hand, it is concluded that the 15-day treatment period is short, since the cadmium concentration is not lower than the standards established by the ECA-Soils. Keywords-- Mycoremediation, substrate, Pleurotus ostreatus, contaminated soil, micorremediación y cadmio.